NEW DELHI: The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that the death of former TN Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa at the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai needs to be probed as it is a matter “eminently in public interest”.
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the State before a Bench of Justices S Abdul Nazeer and Krishna Murari, said: “All the government wants is an inquiry.” The State’s counsel told the court that if it was issuing orders, TN was ready to reconstitute the commission by appointing one more judge, such as retired SC judge Justice R Bhanumathi. He mentioned that if a technical member to the commission had to be appointed, retired Madras HC judge Justice CT Selvam could be considered.
The statement came while responding to a petition filed by the Apollo Hospitals alleging bias on the part of the government-appointed Justice A Arumughaswamy Commission inquiring into the former CM’s death.
‘Why form panels if no plan to make reports public?’
During the hearing, the Bench questioned the government on why the reports of the Commission are not made public, and said, “Why do you appoint Commissions if you do not intend to make their reports public. Is it to wriggle out of the situation?”
Objecting to the hospital’s demand, however, advocate Dave said, “Until the government decides there is a need for action, nothing will happen. It is only when action is taken, they (Apollo) can object. However unpalatable the proceedings (before the Commission) may be, it has to be left to the future. The court cannot intervene now.” Full report on www.newindianexpress.com